Reflections and Gratitude, 2013

As I packed up my backpack tonight in anticipation of my departure to India this weekend, I stopped for a few seconds to take in the present moment. The smell of the worn backpack, the crispness of the new journal, the checklist of chicken scratch beside me. It was just nearly 1 year ago that I stuffed the same pack before departing on a yet-to-be-determined length of stay in South America. As the year comes to a close I can't help but reflect on what amazing experiences 2013 has brought me and I really just wanted to write some thoughts here to express my gratitude for the last 12 months of my life.

I am grateful to experience Christmas in Buenos Aires, to take in the gritty, yet absurdly picturesque streets of the city, to sip fine wine and eat delicious food. To travel on to the beaches of Uruguay and soak in the sun, to meet the dawn of the new year after an epic fiesta. To wander through Patagonia and take in some of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen. To challenge myself physically trekking through mountains and glaciers and reward myself with new friends and memorable times. To find a new home in Santiago. To begin to teach yoga. To work and play and live in a foreign city and country, yet not feel strange and alone. To make lifelong friends and learn a new language. To find new adventures in Ecuador, surfing the coast, exploring the bustling capital city, rafting through rapids, hiking for hours on end and blissfully taking in the heat of the sun on horseback. To drift north to Colombia sharing travel experiences with new and old friends, sleeping in hammocks, dancing on the beach until sunrise, hiking through remote jungle and coastline and taking in the history of one of the most beautiful capital cities I have seen. To return to the United States and slip back into the warmth of family and friends. To experience the summer coast to coast in the US. To celebrate momentous occasions. To challenge myself to figure out what's next. To make the move to Austin. To start a new job. To begin a new chapter. What a ride......

If 2014 brings me even half as much joy as this past year, I will consider myself a lucky girl. Happy New Year to my family and friends around the world. More experiences to share after I return from India.

Cheers!
Cara

A new year, a new adventure to begin

Well, it's 2013....amazing how this year has flown by. I feel like just yesterday I was packing up my New York City apartment in order to set out on a life-changing journey. One year later, I'm in South America, maybe to live for awhile, and with a new perspective and some new life goals as we move into a new year. A lot has certainly changed....

I arrived in Santiago a few weeks ago to begin settling into my new life and putting the pieces together of job prospects, apartment hunting and networking connections. After re-acquainting myself with some of the familiar spots, I headed to Buenos Aires to visit friends over the Christmas holiday. Being a predominantly catholic country I was surprised at how "un-christmas like" the city was. Few lights adorned apartments, stores were not bombarded with decorations and trees, people didn't seem to have that anxious holiday energy. Perhaps the Christmas frenzy exists only in the US? After a few sweltering days in the Argentina heat, we headed to Uruguay for some R&R in Punta del Este, one of the most famous southeastern coastal vacation spots in the country.

Punta is known to many as "the Hamptons of South America" where the tanned and beautiful roam the beaches by day and the clubs by night. This is certainly the case, but we opted for a more relaxed week of soaking in the sun and touring the various parts of the city and neighboring areas. Our residence, Casa Pueblo, was a vacation all in itself as it is a famous house of a Uruguayan artist, now a hotel, museum and restaurant attracting tourists to some of the best sunsets I have seen in my life to date. For new years eve, we attended a beautiful house party, where the DJ tunes gave way to dancing into sunrise of 2013.

Casa Pueblo

After a week of sun and fun, we divided up as a group and I continued on with my friend Jaclyn to another beach town, Punta del Diablo, just 3 hours north of Punta del Este along the coast. For those familiar with the New York city summer retreats: If Punta del Este is to the Hamptons, Punta del Diablo is to Fire Island, totally my vibe. The sleepy beach town is filled with holiday house rentals, loosely structured cabanas adorned with hammocks, hippie-like hostels and a strip of restaurants and bars in the "centro". Unfortunately, due to the high season, we weren't able to secure a place to sleep (aside from the beach) so we spent the day and then headed to Montevideo where we spent the next 2 days soaking up a few more rays along the city's coast.

Punta del Diablo

Now, back in Buenos Aires after a fantastic and relaxing start to the new year, I'm packing up my backpack once more to head south, very south, (to the end of the world to be exact) to begin an adventure through Patagonia. Sending much love to my friends and family around the world and a happy new year! more to come soon....besitos!!

My bags are packed…I'm (kind of) ready to go...

What a whirlwind few months it has been. Just as I had started to find a groove in the great city of Austin, Texas, I was swept up in changes again as I headed back to Chicago to pack up for the next journey ahead. It was truly bittersweet to leave Austin. Aside from the warm weather and the fun I was having living with my sister, I completed my 200 hour yoga teacher training with the most special group of people and wonderful teacher. It was certainly a life-changing experience and one that I know will lead to life-long friends and a different sense of self as I take the intro to yoga studies I have learned on to the next chapter.

Although it felt a little like my time in Austin was cut short, I believe I will return and each time I feel apprehensive to move on to something unknown, I continually come back to a quote I heard at a speaking engagement a couple of years ago: "comfort and change will never coexist."   Now, I don't believe that one should constantly be running away from life, but rather continually put forth challenges and new opportunities that allow you to seize every moment. So, that's what I am going to do.

My next journey begins (tomorrow) with a one-way ticket to the Southern Hemisphere. I plan to be based in Santiago, Chile (employment and volunteer opportunities tbd), but first a little vacation over the holidays with some friends in Buenos Aires and Punta del Este, followed by some personal time backpacking through Patagonia. I've chosen Chile for a variety of reasons including the economic and political stability of the country as well as the opportunities that exist in areas I'm interested in, I am eager to keep everyone abreast of what the future holds for me there.

With the changes in my life and the changes of the season (we are entering a new age after all) I'm feeling a bit of organized chaos... But such is life and I am excited to enter into the Aquarian age and the new year with a new adventure and new perspective.

I'll be continuing the blog updates along the way so stay tuned for what becomes.  To all my family and friends around the world, wishing you a healthy and happy holiday season and sending love and joy as we enter 2013.

Un Beso Grande,
Cara